My fighting
story reaches back to 1987 and Malmö, Sweden - my hometown...........

When I grew
up, it was important to be able to defend yourself. This eventually urged me to start training Tae Kwon Do. Finding myself
disqualified in numerous semi-contact competitions, I reached out to find a fighting sport that could cater to my aggressive
style, instead of oppressing it - kickboxing.

My black belt
graduation in 1992 was an incredible day. I had been training for over five years when one of the ultimate rewards for a martial
artist was awarded me - the black belt.

The W.A.K.O.
graduation was performed before a panel of judges and consisted of:

1. An hour
to show your technique.

2. Showing
the ability to instruct.

3. 25 rounds
x 2 min of sparring against different opponents.

Yeah....
I was tired! Not all the guys made it that day - but I did. I was awarded the black belt.

Five years
later, I'd find my next challenge: to try to qualify for K-1 Team Andy Hug - by fighting the man himself at the Seidokaikan
gym in Tokyo - Hug.

Andy was
surprised when I came back to the gym after that day. Andy said: "Fredrik, I'm so happy you keep on coming back. Most
fighters - all champions - always say that they are going to show up, and then they never do. If they do, the train once and
then I never see them again."

Andy liked
to show the fighters the "Kyokushin-way" - or the hard way - and so he did. I did come back though - after plenty of ice packs
all night after our so-called "training session", which reminded more of a "real" fight than anything else.

Injuries
always kept me from fighting as much as I had preferred in Japan. At the point when I broke my rib, I was just coming
back from several serious injuries, and among others, I had my thigh muscle cut by Andy's low kicks in training camp in Okinawa
where we helped him to prepare for the K-1 final '98, and could barely walk for about 6 weeks.

Two weeks
after I broke my rib, I had the other thigh muscle cut again, with the same severity. This was when I decided
to move on from Team Andy in Tokyo to Los Angeles, USA, to continue fighting, pass on my fighting knowledge to a few, selected
students and to pursue an acting career.

Three years
later I fought out of K-1 Team SHARKTANK, L.A., California and captured the United World Muay Thai Association U.S. title,
super heavy weight. This was a good day. To Andy's honor, wearing the championship belt, I held the "Andy-shorts" he gave
me in Tokyo, high above my head as I received the salute of the audience paying the great Andy Hug their respect. (See "Andy
Hug pictures.)

My advice:

"Fighting
sports are really just a metaphor of life. You learn how to deal with hardship, pain and defeat.

Take
your dream and make it an ambition. If you don't make it this time and maybe not even next, you will win and achieve
your goal later on. No question about it. It's all about statistics and persistence - just as long as you try hard and long
enough - you will be a winner and a champion in your field too, whether it is fighting sports, business or family. Never,
ever give up."